Don't Want to Upgrade to iOS 26? Here's How to Stay on iOS 18 [Update: Now Unavailable]

[Zenman12]

Did the bug you reported exist in iOS 18?

Apple removed security fixes made available in a 18.7.3 build from the public. Users do want ensure we have the latest security and bug fixes.

Apple thinks 'different'.

Not sure. But the idea that I didn’t have bugs in late iOS 18.7 is so absurd. Late iOS 18 wasn’t bug free or stable. I remember all the calls for senior advisors and engineering reporting bugs. Even going as far as fresh iOS install at an Apple Store to rid of them (some fixed. some didn’t).

I reckon Apple simply doesn’t want to do every iOS prior I would guess.

 

[Downundermac]

This is common after any change. iOS26 was a more significant deviation and so more people may notice and want to go back. What Apple and other companies know is that users adapt and then, one day, someone will complain and say they want to go back to iOS26. There will be the usual comments about how iOS26 was the last good version and that now their battery life is rubbish. I know this because it happens every single time!
Many observations in this thread and others here are either about visual or operational differences. These are the opinions that can change with familiarity.
It would be helpful if those reporting serious bugs could provide evidence that a significant number of users have that same, reproducible issue. Anything else could purely be down to a unique set of circumstances on their device.
Taking an example: - Some years ago I contacted Apple about inaccurate or missing labels for classical albums within iTunes. A large number of other listeners had already registered precisely the same problem on Apple Communities. I managed to have a discussion by phone and then needed to complete a very comprehensive statement so they could precisely remedy the issue. If I had merely bleated on about Bugs - Bugs - Bugs on some forum!!!! my precise concern would never have been resolved. As things were, the problems were looked into and resolved within a month.

Most Apple staffers will realise the company has lost the plot on multiple fronts recently and is starting to go downhill. The problem is corporate executives climbing ladders are notoriously sheep like and adverse to calling a spade a spade.

 

[super chimp]

Even Zollotech mentions near the beginning of this video about Apple removing the ability of people to install the beta of iOS 18.7.3.

 

[B4U]

Plenty of grey areas. Microstutters could be inefficient coding. While third party apps could have their own issues while posters blame Apple.

At any rate you are welcome to your own nomenclature.

You can move the goal post all you want. It is a bug by its very own definition.

 

[SebCohen]

Liquid Glass in 26 is the Gold Apple Watch with Hermes strap. Both are equally "ridiculous".

Now, you may LIKE the Google Watch, but it does makes you look silly.

 

[Reason077]

We will find out when OS27 launch.

If liquid glass was a mistake it will entirely be rolled back or heavily toned down.

Can’t imagine it being rolled back entirely, but I’m certainly hoping for significant improvements and refinements.

 

[wahlderqual]

This is common after any change. iOS26 was a more significant deviation and so more people may notice and want to go back. What Apple and other companies know is that users adapt and then, one day, someone will complain and say they want to go back to …

Not all users are the same. Allow me to adapt, don’t force me. That is to say, let me downgrade if necessary for at least a year. It is MY iPhone/Pad/Mac after all.

 

[maxoakland]

This is asinine, Apple. Absolutely, 100% fraking asinine. Worse, I'm almost 100% certain that 18.7.3 HAD BEEN available to me on my iPhone, but I wanted to give it a few days to see what got reported about it (make sure there weren't any show-stoppers) before updating… now Apple gives me a reason to not trust them AT ALL: "Eat this turd… or we'll MAKE you." This from the company that used '1984' imagery to promote itself.

They're not a trustworthy company anymore. They aren't the same company anymore either. Most people who worked there back then are gone

 

[maxoakland]

Apple Exec: "Tim, Users think iOS 26 is so bad they're willing to jump through hoops to install a beta version of 18."
Tim: "Could our software really be that bad? No, it's the users who are wrong. Change it so they can't install beta versions of 18 anymore"

 

[capamac]

Gnu/Linux and the BSDs are always an option :^)

Been hearing more and more good Linux news this year ... I think it's coz gaming support on Linux has improved so much. That's the big "gateway" to Linux use for many people.

Like with macOS, a lot of Windows 11 users are also unhappy with the way Microsoft is running things.

I had first tried NetBSD on my Mac IIci with like 36 megs of RAM and a 1GB SCSI HDD back around 1998, coz I heard this successor to Classic MacOS was on the way and would be based on this thing called "BSD." So I tried NetBSD and really liked it. About a year later I tried Linux for the first time; Redhat 6 if I recall correctly, on a 75mhz Pentium. Was also impressed with that.

The Zorin and Pear distros are designed to appeal to Mac/Win users.

It's pretty easy to try Linux out if you have an old PC or old Mac (ideally an Intel Mac, as I get the impression Linux on M-series cpus isn't as polished) laying around.

At work today, I was listening to a former Windows user speak about his complaints with Windows and his experience trying Linux:

 

[erihp]

Gnu/Linux and the BSDs are always an option :^)

Been hearing more and more good Linux news this year ... I think it's coz gaming support on Linux has improved so much. That's the big "gateway" to Linux use for many people.

Like with macOS, a lot of Windows 11 users are also unhappy with the way Microsoft is running things.

This thread is about iOS. None of what you are saying applies since you cannot install an altOS on an iPhone/ipad.

 

[Omega Mac]

The way you use it does change when you cannot use it because iOS 26 UI design decisions fundamentally break the interface.

It's funny someone would disagree with this, a thing that is a fact.

If the UI dynamically changes in response to the environment in a manner than makes a UI element, like a text button, totally illegible to the user then it is broken in that moment and therefore there needs to be a fix.

Would it be disagreeable to say a flickering lightbulb is broken?

It still gives light, yes, but only some of the time and not all of the time. Therefore, it is broken becasue it has failed to achieve consistent performance and achieve sustained light.

In summary, if the UI works some of the time but not all of the time, the it is broken.

 

[Omega Mac]

It’s a real bad idea to not update your phone. I reported a bug in 26.1 and it was fixed in 26.2. Even if you don’t care, the bug and security fixes are essential.

Design can have bugs too and liquid glass is a visual infestation.

 

[Sio61]

Am I too late to use the beta trick? I didn't get the option to use beta of iOS18.6 or later. I really don't want to move to 26 but looks like I will have to.

 

[bw44]

Did the bug you reported exist in iOS 18?

Apple removed security fixes made available in a 18.7.3 build from the public. Users do want ensure we have the latest security and bug fixes.

Apple thinks 'different'.

I must have missed something. What I understood: Apple released 18.7.3 for iPads and a few older phones that had or could have been running 18.n.n. Apparently through oversight (or before they changed their decision) they made 18.7.3 available via the beta stream to newer phones (capable of being upgraded to 26. (I took advantage of this beta release on an SE2.)

When in all of this did Apple REMOVE fixes from 18.7.3.? Or did you mean they removed the fixes in 18.7.3 by removing the whole of it from the beta stream? (I hope you meant the latter!) But were older (non-26-capable) phones still able to get 18.7.3.?

Sorry to be a bother, but could you please clarify my understanding?

 

[erihp]

I must have missed something. What I understood: Apple released 18.7.3 for iPads and a few older phones that had or could have been running 18.n.n. Apparently through oversight (or before they changed their decision) they made 18.7.3 available via the beta stream to newer phones (capable of being upgraded to 26. (I took advantage of this beta release on an SE2.)

When in all of this did Apple REMOVE fixes from 18.7.3.? Or did you mean they removed the fixes in 18.7.3 by removing the whole of it from the beta stream? (I hope you meant the latter!) But were older (non-26-capable) phones still able to get 18.7.3.?

Sorry to be a bother, but could you please clarify my understanding?

18.7.3 is no longer available for any devices that support 26.

Don’t know if any iPhones that support 18 but not 26, so can’t speak to the latter.

Edit: On second glance looks like it’s a short list, iPhone XS and XR series phones do support 18 but not 26. not sure if they can get 18.7.3, also curious!

 

[Dylan33x]

Pretty egregious behaviour, particularly since the sole device on OS26 is my iPad Pro M4 and it’s laggy and slow and it really ought not to be. I won’t even complain about the UI! Uh, I lie: ugh. And yuck? Also: the OS behaviour and its design seem linked. Some of that slowness is visibly due to visual effects Apple has added. So much VISTA going on I can’t see the future…

I will wait on WWDC27 before upgrading any other Apple devices I own. One potential exception: I missed the upgrade window on my mini, so it’s on macOS 14. That’s probably a step too far for my comfort.

Wait, what do you mean upgrade window? And 14 is still getting security updates.

 

[Dylan33x]

Well, unfortunately it's real; at least on my device. I already tried deactivating all the extra visual effects, animations etc. It made it *slightly* better, but really only minimally. It's still a pain to use, or rather try to use the device. Maybe I could try completely resetting it, but I'll see. Wish there was an officially supported way to downgrade to previous iOS/iPadOS versions via iTunes/Apple Devices App. Will never understand why Apple refuses to offer official support.

Btw, the iPhone XS doesn't support iOS 26. Maybe the iPad Air 2019 shouldn't have been on the list either.

Sign out of iCloud, reset all settings, then sign back in. If that doesn’t fix it, back up and reset the device, then activate it with a computer so it doesn’t force the update, then restore from iCloud backup.

While I find it almost impossible to believe older iPads are running as fast on 26 as they did on 18, I think the above could help your use case.

 

[bw44]

18.7.3 is no longer available for any devices that support 26.

Don’t know if any iPhones that support 18 but not 26, so can’t speak to the latter.

Edit: On second glance looks like it’s a short list, iPhone XS and XR series phones do support 18 but not 26. not sure if they can get 18.7.3, also curious!

Thanks. Maybe (unlikely) an XS or XR user will follow this thread and let us know.

 

[artifex]

Sign out of iCloud, reset all settings, then sign back in. If that doesn’t fix it, back up and reset the device, then activate it with a computer so it doesn’t force the update, then restore from iCloud backup.

While I find it almost impossible to believe older iPads are running as fast on 26 as they did on 18, I think the above could help your use case.

My iPad 9 is running about as fast as it did before, but it's very subjective because I never did real work on it, just some game and media consumption. I think the battery life is definitely worse, but on the other hand it's several months older than before the first beta became available, now, and was already down around 80ish back then (too old for their battery gauge, but that's based on telemetry data). The thing to remember is that mine is new enough to get the update, but too old to get any of the AI stuff, so the only real changes I have experienced are the glass interface and the neat ambient background noise thing in the panel.

 

[B4U]

18.7.3 is no longer available for any devices that support 26.

Don’t know if any iPhones that support 18 but not 26, so can’t speak to the latter.

Edit: On second glance looks like it’s a short list, iPhone XS and XR series phones do support 18 but not 26. not sure if they can get 18.7.3, also curious!

iOS 18.7.3 is the update via normal channel on devices not supporting iOS 26 but supports 18.